Michigan’s children are depending on Congress to make sure they have clean water and warm places to sleep.
You may not know that Michigan ranks among the top 10 states with the most lead pipes for our drinking water, and even low levels of lead in children can result in behavior and learning problems, lower IQ and hyperactivity, and slowed growth. Michigan also has the 10th highest average electricity rate in the nation and many Michigan homes are not weatherized for our cold winters.
Now more Michigan families are staying warm and safe this winter, thanks to millions of dollars in federal grants to help lower utility bills, weatherize homes, replace lead pipes and upgrade sewage systems. Home energy tax credits and rebates are helping families access efficient heating and appliances and upgrade insulation.
These programs are thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
In Michigan, these federal dollars are paying for:
- Rebates to install heat pumps, insulation, and home electrification upgrades
- Low-interest loans to under-resourced communities to improve energy efficiency and clean energy
- No-cost weatherization services for low- and moderate-income homeowners
- Replacing toxic lead pipes
- Upgrading city’s sewage systems
- Improving internet affordability and connectivity in underserved communities
- and much more
But now it’s up to the new Congress in Washington D.C. to keep this critical funding for Michigan families.
“If we don’t act now, Michigan’s high energy bills and polluted water will only get worse, hurting our children’s futures,” says Crystal Bernard, of Michigan Solutions for All.
She is asking people to email their members of Congress to stop cuts in funding for cleaning up water pollution, weatherizing homes, and lowering utility bills.
